59821 ZIP Code — Arlee, MT

Lake County, Montana

ZIP code 59821 is located in Arlee, Montana, within Lake County. It covers approximately 319.64 square miles and serves a population of 2,780 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 406.

About ZIP code 59821

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $334,300. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 72%.

Median household income is $64,868. Poverty affects 20% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 20% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 40% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 27 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 25% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (23%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 59821 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,780

population

319.64

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

59821 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 59821

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 59821. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Arlee	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

59865 Saint Ignatius (10.4 mi) 59808 Missoula (13.7 mi) 59834 Frenchtown (13.7 mi) 59802 Missoula (15 mi) 59824 Charlo (18.6 mi) 59831 Dixon (18.9 mi) 59868 Seeley Lake (19 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	2,780
Population density	9 / sq mi
State FIPS	30
County FIPS	047

Geography
Land area	319.64 sq mi
Water area	0.90 sq mi
Latitude	47.1852
Longitude	-114.0122
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	406

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	46.1%	50.0%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	36.9%	30.3%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	14.9%	16.9%	19.2%
Over $200k	2.1%	2.8%	4.7%

Demographics & statistics

2,780

Population

People per sq mi

41.2

Median age

$64,868

Median household income

$30,111

Per capita income

$334,300

Median home value

$971

Median monthly rent

72.1%

Home ownership

19.7%

Poverty rate

6.3%

Unemployment

833

Housing units

24.7%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

167

10–14

200

15–19

20–24

115

25–34

138

174

35–44

209

159

45–54

191

112

55–59

134

60–64

103

167

65–74

201

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	696	25.0%
18 and over	2,084	75.0%
65 and over	515	18.5%
Median age	41.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 55%

American Indian / Alaska Native 31.1%

Two or more races 9.5%

Hispanic or Latino 3%

Other race 1.3%

Asian 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	1,575	55%
American Indian / Alaska Native	890	31.1%
Two or more races	272	9.5%
Hispanic or Latino	85	3%
Other race	37	1.3%
Asian	6	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	46.1%	50.0%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	36.9%	30.3%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	14.9%	16.9%	19.2%
Over $200k	2.1%	2.8%	4.7%

Under $10k 9.1%

$10k–$15k 3.2%

$15k–$25k 8.3%

$25k–$35k 6.8%

$35k–$50k 10.6%

$50k–$75k 17.2%

$75k–$100k 15.6%

$100k–$150k 20.2%

$150k–$200k 4.0%

$200k+ 5.0%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.1%
$10k–$15k	3.2%
$15k–$25k	8.3%
$25k–$35k	6.8%
$35k–$50k	10.6%
$50k–$75k	17.2%
$75k–$100k	15.6%
$100k–$150k	20.2%
$150k–$200k	4.0%
$200k+	5.0%
Median income	$64,868

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 10.5%

$50k–$100k 2.1%

$100k–$150k 9.0%

$150k–$200k 11.2%

$200k–$300k 11.0%

$300k–$500k 31.5%

$500k–$1M 23.6%

$1M+ 1.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$334,300
Median rent / month	$971
Owner occupied	72.1%
Renter occupied	27.9%
Vacant	14.1%
Single-family detached	78.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	15.8%
Median rooms	5.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.71

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	6.1%
2000–2009	11.2%
1990–1999	23.4%
1980–1989	13.0%
1970–1979	20.3%
1960–1969	7.9%
1950–1959	4.9%
1940–1949	3.0%
1939 or earlier	10.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.5%
1 bedroom	8.0%
2 bedrooms	23.6%
3 bedrooms	44.3%
4 bedrooms	12.8%
5+ bedrooms	10.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	2.2%
1 vehicle	22.0%
2 vehicles	31.5%
3 or more	44.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	3.9%
Electricity	38.9%
Propane / LP gas	19.4%
Fuel oil	6.2%
Wood	26.1%
No fuel used	1.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	501	53.2%
Cohabiting couple	46	4.9%
Male householder, no spouse	197	20.9%
Female householder, no spouse	198	21.0%
Households with children under 18	364	38.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	344	36.5%
Average household size	2.81

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	33.1%	22.6%
Married	45.9%	47.2%
Separated	0.9%	2.6%
Widowed	5.3%	8.2%
Divorced	14.8%	19.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.7%

Some HS, no diploma 9.5%

HS graduate 23.2%

Some college, no degree 25.7%

Associate's degree 16.2%

Bachelor's degree 17.4%

Graduate / professional 7.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	89.8%
Bachelor's or higher	24.7%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	23	3.6%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	377	59.7%
High school	155	24.5%
College / grad school	77	12.2%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 22.2%

Retail trade 15.6%

Other services 9.9%

Agriculture & mining 8.6%

Professional & management 8.6%

Transportation & utilities 6.8%

Arts, food & hospitality 6.8%

Construction 6.5%

Manufacturing 4.9%

Public administration 3.3%

Wholesale trade 3.2%

Finance & real estate 3.2%

Information 0.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	29.6%
Service	21.6%
Sales & office	20.4%
Natural resources & construction	16.0%
Production & transportation	12.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	73.6%
Government	17.9%
Self-employed	7.5%
Unpaid family workers	1.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	63.8%
Carpool	13.7%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	10.5%
Work from home	11.6%
Other means	0.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	26.9

Poverty

All people 19.7%

Under 18 years 20.4%

18 and over 19.5%

Married-couple families 3.0%

Female-led households 44.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	39.8%
Retirement income	24.0%
Supplemental Security	7.7%
Cash public assistance	4.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	20.0%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	34.5%
High blood pressure	31.8%
High cholesterol	30.6%
Diabetes	12.3%
Heart disease	7.5%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	11.6%
Arthritis	27.5%
Kidney disease	3.5%
Pulmonary disease	8.5%
Cancer	6.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	22.8%
Binge drinking	20.2%
No physical activity	23.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.7%
Depression	23.6%
Fair or poor health	17.8%
Poor mental health	15.4%
Poor physical health	13.7%
No health insurance	13.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	68.3%
Visited dentist	55.6%
Cholesterol screening	87.2%
Teeth loss	18.4%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	207	9.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	13.1%
Under 18	1.0%
18–64 years	12.7%
65 and over	30.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	55.6%
Public insurance	46.8%
No insurance	14.1%
Uninsured under 19	11.2%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,673	96.2%
Spanish	69	2.6%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	5	0.2%
Other languages	6	0.2%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,750	98.9%
Born in same state	2,662	95.8%
Born in different state	1,546	55.6%
Foreign born	88	3.2%
Naturalized citizen	30	1.1%
Not a US citizen	30	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	287	10.3%
Italian	212	7.6%
Arab	135	4.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	56	2%
English	14	0.5%
German	6	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	33.9%
Internet access	89.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 59821

What city is ZIP code 59821 in?

ZIP code 59821 is primarily assigned to Arlee, Montana.

What county is ZIP code 59821 in?

ZIP code 59821 falls within Lake County, Montana.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59821?

20% of residents in ZIP code 59821 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 59821 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 59821 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 59821 have a large veteran population?

10% of civilians in ZIP code 59821 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 59821?

The median home value in ZIP code 59821 is $334,300.

What timezone is ZIP code 59821 in?

ZIP code 59821 observes the MST timezone.